Annual Report 2009 - Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Annual Report 2009EXECUTIVEDirector General: Michael Forbes SmithI began my Annual Report for 2008 on two themes. Onewas a reassurance to members that 2009 would be “one ofconsolidation and positioning to face likely developments inthe market, rather than any wholesale future re-organisation”.I am pleased to say that the reorganisation of the Executiveproved its worth in 2009, with a more focused membershipservices team in much better touch with branches; oureducation activities benefitting from their integration with ourother academic activities in the Research and DevelopmentDepartment; and a full strength marketing team showing itsmettle through sell-out events and a significantly greatertake-up of our London-based training courses, amongstother achievements.However, as for “consolidation”, I reported to the Trustees inNovember that the year had instead “turned out to be a yearof innovation and significant results by the Executive, producedby a highly stretched, but committed and professional teamto whom I owe a debt of gratitude”. I repeat that here, veryconscious that without the hard work of the Executive team,we could achieve nothing.The other theme was communications, and again I canreport very heartening progress in 2009, as anyone who hasbrowsed the new website will acknowledge. Now wellestablished, developments through the year included a newdedicated Branch Officers’ Resource area, which all branchofficers should access and use for their own branch’s benefit;a dedicated area for members; a global events calendar anda directory of members for both member and public use,permitting over time members to use it promotionally fortheir own promotion and marketing.Our new membership database, introduced in May, isintegrated with the website and provides members with thefacility to renew their membership online, by credit card, andis working well. Website development will continue on aregular basis.Our quarterly newsletter “The Resolver” has been ably editedby Kathryn Grant, our PR & Communications Executive, whoalso now edits the new, regular newsletter to branch chairmenand NewsWatch.Sue McLaughlin, our Member Services Manager, hasworked tirelessly with branch committees over the “BranchAudit”, through which we have improved both communicationand understanding, in both directions. The only general issueof substance proved to be the constitutional requirement forcontested branch committee elections to be decided bypostal vote, an issue which resulted in a formal complaint tome by a branch member which happily isclose to resolution. I am grateful for theconstructive approach of all concerned.We also had very useful discussions with other branches,both new and well-established, on the conduct of branchcommittee elections and other constitutional issues. Wehave learnt some useful lessons which will be incorporated inthe revision of the Institute’s Regulations. Our aim is that thebranch audit process should develop into a closer and moreinteractive relationship with branches, supporting their recruitingefforts and helping them meet their wider responsibilities toimplement the Institute’s Object of ‘promoting and facilitating’dispute resolution worldwide.The most important event of the year for the Executive, asfor the Institute as a whole, was the Trustees’ adoption inSeptember of our new Institute Strategy for 2010-14. Theyhave laid down a real challenge to us all in their choice ofvision statement; which certainly meets the requirement ofproviding “big, hairy, audacious goals” as the Institute ofDirectors recommends:“Our vision is for CIArb’s global reputation to be so high thatall involved in private dispute resolution throughout the worldwill wish to join and support us”.We, in the Executive, are committed to pursuing that vision,and I would ask all members everywhere to make sure theydisseminate it widely and follow its precepts.As I forecast at the Trustees’ November meeting, 2009 didindeed prove to be, with one exception, the most successfulyear in the Institute’s recent history. Despite the economicdownturn, the Institute as a whole generated a surplus ofover £ ½ m (including £360,400 from our central operations)on a consolidated turnover of £6.6m.The exception was membership growth where, for the firsttime in several years, we experienced a small (2 per cent) netloss of members, probably mostly as a result of the globaleconomic situation. Despite this, the Membership andMarketing Department under Nicki Alvey’s energetic leadership,still managed to produce a 4.73 per cent increase in thedepartment’s income, from £2,241,000 to £2,347,000.On the positive side, more than 1,100 new members joinedthe Institute in 2009, from Anguilla to Zimbabwe, and at allgrades, either through our own education programmes or bydemonstrating relevant equivalent experience. But Englandand Wales were the worst affected, with a worrying net loss of6 per cent. The Executive hosted two UK Branch Chairmen’smeetings in Bloomsbury Square in 2009, which consideredPage 12CIArb Annual Report 2009: Reports from the Boards, Committees and Executive – Executive